Zero/Positive/Negative-Sum Game
Updated 2026-08-01
INTRODUCTION
English translation pending.
CORE DEFINITION
A taxonomy from game theory that classifies an interaction by how the sum of all players' payoffs changes. In a zero-sum game the total is fixed, so one player's gain is exactly another's loss, as in a pure contest over a fixed prize. In a positive-sum game the total grows, so cooperation can leave both sides better off, as in trade built on comparative advantage. In a negative-sum game the total shrinks, as in a war or a price war that leaves everyone poorer. The classification says nothing about whether cooperation is likely, only about what the structure makes possible.
SCAFFOLDING EFFECT
Reduce cognitive load
- Sum audit: add up the outcomes of every party before deciding how to play your hand. - Value test: ask whether the interaction creates, divides, or destroys total value. - Rule design: restructure the terms so each side gains when the other succeeds.
Anchor fast decisions
The structure of the payoffs determines which strategies are sustainable. Where the total is fixed, effort spent competing is partly wasted on redistribution; where the total grows, cooperation increases what is available for everyone; where the total shrinks, escalation destroys value faster than any party can capture it. Recognizing the sum changes whether you should compete, cooperate, or withdraw.
MINIMUM ACTION
In progress 0/1Practice this model in one real situation:
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Source support: Explicit
- zh.wikipedia.orghttps://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E9%9B%B6%E5%92%8C%E5%8D%9A%E5%BC%88verified
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